You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Please read through the reporting thread carefully to ensure to report correctly to get your badge/s.

After you have read your chosen book(s) for this month's group theme read, please report in the thread below.

Please state what book you read (and link it), how it fits the theme, that you discussed it (and where), and briefly summarize what you thought of the book and/or link to your review if you have written one.

If you lead the discussion, please state this in your post.

Here is an example for how to report your read:

“I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and discussed it in the [Harry Potter/Buddy Read/Other books in theme] thread. I really enjoyed the book. I watched the film first so I already knew the story line but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the book more as there was more detail involved. Plus I listened to the audio which was narrated by Stephen Fry who is a superb narrator. 4 stars.”

If you read more than one book which fits the theme, please report all your reads in the same post rather than in separate posts.

Please note, there are THREE different badges that can be obtained for group reads. Those reading and discussing one of the two chosen group reads will receive a colorful badge similar to those for previous group reads. Those reading and discussing any other book in the theme will receive a stamp. The discussion leader for the two chosen group reads will receive a badge stating they led the discussion. Maximum amount of badges you can receive for the group reads is TWO - one for the chosen group read/discussion leader and one for any other book in the theme.

In order to receive a badge you must:
1. put your Wall of Fame Name at the beginning of your post as follows: WoF Name - Jayme
2. have read the book(s) before or during August 2025.
3. discussed it in the relevant thread. Discussion must be more than "I read the book and I liked it". Discussion requires something more substantial and analytical of what you read, for example, thoughts, opinions, impact it had on you, what was your favorite part, was it what you expected it to be like etc. You may also like to review the book and post a link to the review in that thread.
4. Report that you have read AND discussed the book.

WoF Sandra from PA

I read The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. Allan, the main characters is turning 100 years old in the first chapter. I gave it 3 stars. It was entertaining although I didn't laugh that much as the description suggested. After being in my TBR for ages, I'm glad I read it, but I don't plan to keep going with the series. What I liked the most were the friendly characters and the nice relationship between them. I also liked the author is trying to make a point on how the most important events in the world might have been motivated by a silly reason, or a mistake, or someone who didn't know what they were doing. We tend to think people in power know what they are doing, and it might be us who do not understand the complexity of decision making at that level. I think the author is going against that perception showing that people in power might be as stupid, stubborn, and have no idea what they are doing, as anyone else.

WoF: Kristie

I am reading How to Age Disgracefully and am the discussion leader in the group thread. I enjoyed this one a lot. I loved watching the relationships grow and getting to know all of the interesting characters. It was just a really fun read. This seems to be the kind of book I lean towards lately - lots of great older adult characters and a good story. 4.5★ rounding up

I also read The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective and discussed in the group theme thread. It was a cozy murder mystery with a great cast of interesting characters. I really enjoyed it a lot and the final reveal was surprising. The author tied all the loose ends up well at the end and I look forward to reading more of her writing in the future. 4.5★ I rounded this one down, but I'm not sure why. I may go back and round up.

I also read a couple of extra books and discussed in the general theme thread. I read The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, which was a very interesting story about a young girl who was a descendant of Robin Hood and was taught to be a jewel thief by her mother. The MC is 89 years old and just discovered some jewels that disappeared with her little sister during WWII. I also read The Life Impossible for the toppler. The MC is 72 and inherits a home on an island and some fantastical things happen after she arrives there. I found the book to be quite underwhelming. I felt like the majority of the book just rambled on.

WoF Jayme

I read How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley.
What a fun story. I enjoyed the quirky "less than perfect" characters who helped to lift each other up and ended up lifting themselves. There were many laugh-out loud moments, but also moments of tender tears. I loved the theme that if you live long enough there will be things that you regret, but there is so much that also brings you joy. I could not put the book down. I hope there is a sequel. 4.5 rounded to 5

I also read Pied Piper by Nevil Shute and discussed it in the group read thread. This was another 4.5 rounded to 5 stars.
The story was written in 1942 and it is about Howard a 70 year old British man who during holiday in France in the spring of 1940 has to leave France as the war is escalating and the border is closing. He is asked to take several British children back with him and as they try to leave the harrowing adventure begins. The story was good. I could not put the last quarter of the book down.

WoF Marnie

I read The Witches of Moonshyne Manor and discussed it in the group thread. I thought the blurb for the book was misleading. It was more about the characters’ story than the event the blurb promised ( fighting against the townspeople to keep their house.)

I also read Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man which I thoroughly enjoyed. The MC is collecting found family and solving mysteries. She would drive me crazy if she was my mother but it’s hilarious because she’s not. lol

WoF Shirley
I read The Gift of Rain and I discussed it in the Monthly Theme thread.
MC is 72-year-old Phillip Hutton, a Chinese/British son of a British business-man living in Penang. Phillip is reminiscing about the part he played in WW2 when Japanese forces occupied Malaya, and how he has reconciled his perceived mistakes now that he is in the latter part of his life.
Although I enjoyed reading it, I found it too long, and in my opinion not as good as The Garden of Evening Mists. I did enjoy the historical background, and also the way the author was able to bring the setting so vividly to life.

WoFSharonBiskit

I read The Witches of Moonshyne Manor. I discussed it in the provided thread. I felt a bit mislead by the blurb. I did like that most of the characters were uh…mature. I found myself having a hard time connecting with them though. And I too, am mature. I thought the plot was a bit all over the place. I am glad that I read it, but it wasn’t one of my favorites. I awarded it ⭐️⭐️

WoF Nix

I read Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto and discussed in relevant thread.

I love Vera's character and the found family trope you find in her books. They are very soothing to read. She is such a cutie who does all the wrong things by bossing everyone around but at her heart, she is a cute grandma. Rated it 4 stars and I think I will keep reading this series. In this part, she has established herself as a private detective and seems like she is going to Paris next.

WoF Janice

I read The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence and discussed it in the buddy read folder with Katrisa.

Hagar is a 90 year old woman facing her final years. She balks against her son's plans for her care and takes desperate measures. Much of the story is her memories of her life. She's not a likeable person.

I read this back in the 90's and classified it as one of my all time favourites. Yet, I remembered very little of it. It was very apparent to me that my perspective has changed and the intervening years has given me a different focus. I gave this 4.5 stars but rounded it up to 5 because it was Margaret Laurence and it was my all time favourite.

WoF Karin

I read How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

A disappointing one star..this is the review I wrote when I read it in February https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... if you want to see my full thoughts at the time.

I did laugh out loud a couple of times, but overall didn't find it funny. This this book felt like an imitation of other, better, books featuring groups of senior citizens I've read that were published before this, such as The Thursday Murder Club. I finished it only because I needed a book with a character named Lydia.

I had a difficult time as a mother finding humour in situations involving Kylie. Some of the characters had weak story lines. The odds of such a small group of random people over 70 having this many wild and crazy ones in the mix? Very slim. I also couldn't buy into what Daphne did. The knitting thing was crazy--she couldn't knit those huge things in that amount of time without a knitting machine, but it reads like she knit everything the traditional way.

Plus I'm tired of seeing reality shows in novels.

WoF name - Amanda(Lily)

I read How to Age Disgracefully and discussed it in the appropriate thread.

I really enjoyed the book. The characters were fun and wacky, and the relationships in the book made sense and seemed organic. I especially loved Daphne's character. The ending was really well done. It's a heartwarming book.

WOF MarieUK

I read Eton Mess Massacre

This is aone in a series of cosy mysteries being investigated by a 76 year old retired Detective, Albert Smith, and his (also retired) police dog Rex Harrison. They are on the trail of a Gastrothief . Their investigations take them across the UK to places who have Heritage foods.

I started this series for a challenge and have managed to fit them into the Annual challenges for YLTO for the last couple of years

They are such an easy read, free on Kindle Unlimited and have an undercurrent of Humor.

I read The Witches of Moonshyne Manor and discussed in the thread. It was a cute book but was kind of slow in the beginning. I enjoyed the second half more. I gave the book 3 stars.

I also read The Stone Angel and discussed it the buddy read thread. This book was one that sticks with you and makes you think. It was a pretty heavy read. I gave it a solid 4 stars.

I read How to Age Disgracefully and discussed in the thread. Really loved it. Was such a quick, fun read.

Loved the characters and how they looked out for each other. There were some mysteries in there that got revealed as pages turned so it was never boring. I gave it 3.5 stars which is high praise coming from me lol. I am hoping for a movie!

WoF Grainne

I read How to Age Disgracefully and discussed it in the chat.

The relationships that they form really make this book a winner in my eyes. The characters are wonderful and they learn about each other in the most remarkable of ways.

Overall, I enjoyed this light-hearted book. It contained the right amount of wit and intelligence with sprinkles of laughter and laugh out loud scenarios.

I would love to see a movie of it too. Catherine Tate and Sarah Millican would be great actresses for it!

WoF Karin

I read Appleby's Answer by Michael Innes, posted a review on Aug 13 and discussed it in the buddy read chat at the link below.

This garnered 2 stars from me

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Badges and stamps have been posted. Let me now if I missed anyone.

Jayme wrote: "Badges and stamps have been posted. Let me now if I missed anyone."

Thanks!